GRANDFAMILIES

Sorry this post is a little late in the day.

Since the ice storm and four day power outage, we are now being bothered with electrical problems.  For no apparent reason (no sudden surge like hair dryer, space heater, iron, oven, etc), half the outlets in my room do not work and half the outlets in the boys' room do not work.  Jesse spent two days trying to fix things but we are finally calling an electrician tomorrow.  The folks who work at his favorite hardware store told him many folks are having issues as well.  This condo IS 24 years old so it's time to update.

   

Having a happy grandfamily takes a lot of compromise.  My daughter is a messy mouse and Jesse loves tchotchkes (knick knacks that have no purpose other than being decorative).  Personally, I'm at that "less is more" serene stage.  I spend most of my time in my tiny luxury room aboard the Booth/Lockhart cruise line.  It's filled with a LOT of stuff but I feel it is organized and mostly hidden in containers and baskets.   Now that I'm using power in the living room, I've finally had a tiny melt down in my mind!  

They honestly look at the entire dining room covered with containers and seed packets and fertilizer and potting soil and ???? as a project that is started but not yet finished.  For four days.  Which I wouldn't mind as much if I saw it was constantly being worked on.  The sun came out and they are both working on  projects outside.

(Not our house but could be!)

The condo does not have much storage and we all have TOO MUCH stuff.  But we do have a HUGE storage unit just 5 minutes away .... or walking distance of about 6 blocks, not on the road.  

Since it's the weekend and they are spending lots of time taking the boys on hikes and fun in the parks, I merely emailed them where they will need to focus their time INDOORS during the weekdays, even if it IS sunny.  Daughter feels I'm being a nag (and if I ask twice for the same thing, I guess it IS nagging) but I just need to remind them this is MY house and even though they are adults, they can follow MY rules.

Stay tuned .....

DIALING IT BACK

After a year of staying mostly at home, my blogger brain is working at half speed.  The kidults are still treating me like royalty, the boys are as entertaining as ever but even I know that's not enough to write about.

I'm going to try posting once a week, on Sunday, and hope my life will become more interesting once I go out more.  Oregon is opening up a bit yet without being able to get the vaccine, I'm treating the world as unsafe.  I turn 69 in May which is probably when I'm eligible!!!

Here's hoping my friends will continue to pop by! 

WE HAVE A TWEENAGER IN THE HOUSE

 

Even Covid could not keep this boy from growing up.  He is officially a "tween" ... a term for pre-teen

A tween (pre-teen) is a child who's between the stages of childhood and adolescence. It's this “in-between” stage that the name “tween” is derived from. The term was first coined in the late 1980s. Children enter their tween years somewhere around ages 9 to 12 years old.

He is growing out his little boy hair and wants to have a "real" stylist cut his hair (instead of Dad).  He's picky about his clothes and shoes.  He loves hiphop and rap and wants to play music 24/7.  He's eating much more and sleeping 12+ hours at night.

I bought them each a hip hop necklace and black long sleeved t-shirt for Valentine's Day.  The dancing began immediately!

Dad has been having small "talks" and is giving him age appropriate books.  I noticed he keeps it hidden from his brother ... for now.

After the ice storm, a classmate from second grade popped over with his Mom so they could have a socially distant chat.  Braeden was so enthused about it he is asking us to find the phone numbers of other past classmates.  I found one Dad on FB and he messaged me his new cell and the boys have been talking for over an hour!

Phase Tween is in full force.

WE SURVIVED!

Power went out Sunday about noon.  I'm living proof that we can survive without internet.  Although it was mighty lonely. And cold!  Inside dipped down to 56 by Tuesday.  Power came back on at 10:30pm Tuesday.  Many folks have been off the grid for more than a week ... with no estimate of when they will be back on.

Luckily, my resourceful son-in-law walked through the ice and sleet five blocks to our storage unit.  Came back with hand warmers, battery powered light bulbs, camp stove and lots of propane.

Kate had bundled up a lot of her plants, especially those in pots.  She had been saving Amazon bubble wrap envelopes and a neighbor gave her some infrared emergency blankets. The boys thought this was a great adventure .... camping indoors.  Poor Dad did all the outdoor cooking ... and last night they made s'mores in the fireplace.

I mostly looked like this. Browsed through many cookbooks and native plant and bird books.

My bedroom reading nook.  All my news is from the internet!  So I read cookbooks, bird books and native plant books

This morning's shower was about the best thing ever!

Were you hit hard by the winter storm?  Tell me your stories!

PORTLAND - SNOW ICE SLEET WIND

But it didn't stop them from enjoying the day off!

Braeden

Deacon

Audree and Tahlia

A tiny igloo ... to go with the tiny house (not pictured)

 

THE LAUNDRY POD

My niece and her girlfriend (Tahlia and Audree) have joined us in being a healthy pod.  They live in the tiny house about 25 minutes away.  They quarantined for two weeks and then we had a short visit, with masks, as they picked up mail.  They are both VERY safe living in this Covid time.  The next visit we took a walk and so on.  Tahlia works from home and Audree is an online medical student.  We decided to unmask and be an official pod.

I finally thought to invite them over to do their laundry!  Now we are doing this every two weeks and I'm thinking maybe we should do once a week.  The first few times I treated to take out food (Tahlia is strict  vegetarian).  Last night the three of us made dinner to give my kids the night off.  Turned out delicious ... chicken and cheese enchiladas for most of us, tofu and roasted sweet potatoes with spicier sauce for those who wanted.  Rice, huge salad, two kinds of beans, guacamole and salsa (store bought) and chips.  And we all have enough leftovers for at least one night, probably two.  They brought homemade sour dough bread!  

Now we are officially a Laundry Pod! 

These two are always upbeat and happy (well, last week was a bit of a disaster!) and they like to interact with the boys.  

Candy Land with Lego playing pieces!  Or soldiers.

Rapper Braeden with Audree.

Deacon and Tahlia

They boys were stinkers as they each didn't want to play after two games they didn't win!  We got permission from the parents to let the boys "teach" the girls how to play Roblux.  I think we will try Animal Crossing next time.

It's nice to finally have people in our home!

 

WHAT A WEEK - ALREADY

Lots of interesting things to share, mostly good, some are funny and some involve relatives.

The HOA approved our "encroachment" potted plants with lots of praise.  They didn't even ask to talk to me (when previously refused to talk unless I was there).  They are cuckoo.  The two ladies traded bad cop and good cop roles for this chat.  Now they are going to begin to enforce patio "rules".  Yeh, we will maybe do ours AFTER I see others doing it ... including two Board members.

HOORAY for me ... walking at least 20 minutes every day.  Skipped one day as was pouring rain all day long.  Yesterday I only did 15 minutes as it started to hail.  Why can't snuggling on my bed with my laptop kill some calories??  Although it is beautiful to see the beginnings of spring ....

I shouldn't really complain ... my sister broke her foot in 3 places ...

She's supposed to wear a boot but it is NOT comfortable.  Currently she has a kneel-on scooter downstairs and crutches upstairs.

Her older sister, on the other hand, was trying to reach something on the floor and I rolled off my bed!

Thankfully no one heard me and it took 10 minutes to get up off the floor.  SOOOO out of shape (and it's hard to kneel on titanium knees).

Yesterday while chatting on the phone with my Sis, a hummingbird thought our Valentine window stick ons were feeders!  Kept coming to the red one and tapping on it ... then shaking their little heads and leaving.

Kate and Jesse have an indoor corner to keep alive while they wait for Spring.

She has started a lot of native flowering plants on the patio and when they are ready to be repotted/planted, she lets her Facebook group friends know.  They drive by and help themselves.  A very tight knit community.  

On Wednesday morning Tahlia, my niece in the tiny house, texted to see if they could come over for the afternoon/evening.  Their black water tank was FULL and they could not use their toilet!  Of course, it is finals week for our medical school student.  They came over about 2:30pm right after Audree's test.

What Tahlia didn't tell me was their internet wasn't working properly nor was her iPhone and she had an important work Zoom!  I gave her a little Auntie chat about SPEAKING UP when I can help!  We have great wifi and she could have used my phone.  Kids!

Ta ta for now!